visited with protracted sickness. It includes also tailoresses, a subordinate class of milliners, respectable nurses, skilful and industrious laundresses, and some others who are constantly supplied with work, while they can do it, by the enterprising mechanics who employ them. Some of this class, by maintaining a wise economy in their expenditures, can, and do, make an important provision for the seasons of the failure of work, or of debility and sickness, by depositing all which they can spare from their earnings, in the Savings Bank. Some of them, however, who have large families, can but meet their necessary expenses by their daily labors. But while the heads of these families have their health, they need not, and they ask not for, charity. They are not then poor. It is important, however, to understand, that a very small reverse of circumstances may, in a short time, bring them to poverty. To these reverses they are constantly exposed; and, while suffering under them, they will be partially, and temporarily poor. I have said that sickness may bring them to temporary poverty. So also may any personal injury, which disqualifies them for any considerable time for labor. So also may the failure of their employer. And so also may a temporary suspension of demand for the products of their labor. Some of this class have suffered greatly through the past winter. They have, in truth, suffered far more, and some of them from pressing want, than they who have lived amidst the greatest filth, and whose whole dependence has been upon daily beggary. I must again refer to examples.

But here, I must say, that I feel obliged to speak in very general terms, because it is by no means impossible, that my report may fall into the hands of some, whom I must have in my view in speaking of this division of the poor; and I would neither gratify vanity, nor offend deli

well, that is, as well as they would probably have lived, even in a winter of the greatest prosperity, while many, who have preferred to suffer rather than to beg, who have retained a strong sense of character even in the depths of their poverty, have passed a winter of far greater privations than they have ever before known. Of this last named division of the poor, consists a large part of the flock, of which I have the privilege to be the pastor. As I am therefore very desirous that their actual condition should be distinctly understood, I will beg leave to say a few words in explanation of it.

All are familiar with that general classification of society, by which it is separated into the three divisions, of the rich, the poor, and those who have a competency of the blessings of life. But all seem not to be aware, that poverty, as well as affluence, or competency, is a comparative term; and that, among the poor, there are distinctions of condition and character, which are quite as strongly marked, as are any which are to be found in those that are called the more favored classes. The fact is, that between those who have a competency, and the rich, there is a very close connexion of interests, and a very considerable intimacy of intercourse. They are necessarily brought into contact with each other, in the daily business of life. The men who have a competency, are those whom the rich employ as their principals, or whom they are accustomed in various ways to trust, in their commercial enterprises, in trade, and in the mechanic arts. Here, it is felt, that a mutual knowledge of character is demanded, for mutual security; and these classes have actually a pretty accurate knowledge of each other. But it is not so in the connexion which ordinarily exists between the laborer, and his employer. A knowledge of personal character is not here felt to be of very

great importance. The laborer, therefore, may even be employed often by those, who hardly know his name, who never know whether he is married or unmarried, whether he is working only for himself or for a family, or whether he is virtuous or vicious; and who have not a thought concerning him, but in connexion with the service for which he may occasionally be wanted. The poor are, therefore, too often considered merely as a class of society, a single body; and a judgment is formed of the character of the whole of them, from the unfavorable specimens, which we see abroad as vagrants, or which come to our houses for broken food, or which are found in almshouses. This, however, is unjust, and to many greatly injurious. The truth is, that there are those who are perpetually passing from the ranks of the poor, into those which we distinguish as the higher classes. And there are those, who are daily passing from competency, and even from affluence, into the ranks of the poor. In an extensive acquaintance with the families of this class of the population of a city, affecting facts are disclosed, illustrative of the vanity of depending on the permanence of earthly prosperity. Nor is the change from affluence, or from competency, to poverty, always to be ascribed to vice. It is not more fair to infer of a man, that he lacks principle, or is vicious, because he is poor, than it would be wise to infer of a man, that he is virtuous, and worthy of all confidence, because he is rich. Let us then look at the poor as they are, a very mixed class; and comprehending as many varieties, both of condition and character, as are to be found in the other classes of society. And, that I may give as much distinctness as I can, to the exposition which I wish to offer, of the recent, and the immediate condition of the poor, let me endeavor to mark the boundary within which, peculiarly, though not

altogether exclusively, is included the class of those to whom my ministry is devoted, and whose instruction, improvement, and happiness, is the great object of my labors.

Who, then, are the poor?

I answer, that any one who depends on charity for the means of subsistence, during the time of this dependence, and in the degree of it, is poor. No one, in the strict sense of the term, is poor, who is not thus dependent. But even this dependence is very far from being equal among those who feel it. There are those, for example, who are only occasionally, and partially poor. There are those, too, who are frequently, and considerably poor. And there are those who are constantly, and absolutely poor. And, between these general divisions, there are examples of every supposable degree, and kind of poverty. Any one who should go among the poor, either to exercise the office of a christian minister, or to discharge the duties of christian kindness to them, without clearly comprehending these distinctions, and without keeping them constantly in his view, would be exposed to many mistaken efforts in his ministry, and to much injurious application of his bounty; I advert to them, however, only that I may be more entirely understood, in speaking of the sufferings of this class of our fellow beings.

First. There are those who are constantly, and absolutely poor.

This division of the poor comprehends those who live wholly by beggary. But it also includes others, who are not less dependent on charity, than are those who live wholly by begging, but who seldom or never ask for assistance. Nay, it comprehends some who are very virtuous, and estimable, as well as some who are greatly de

based and vicious. Let me illustrate what I mean, by examples.

I am accustomed to go to one house, in three rooms of which six families are living. Here are six husbands, their six wives, and their several children. There are other families, who are living together in the same manner; and a much larger number, whose condition is only so far better, that each family has a room by itself. Is it asked, do these families earn nothing for their support? I answer, that the wives absolutely earn nothing; and I know not how, in our city, they can earn anything. In Paris, they might have been fishwomen, or they might have hoed a potato field in Ireland. But there is here no employment for them. Some of them, indeed, hardly know how to use a needle; and some are almost as unused to washing, as they are to sewing. If our commerce were now as active, and as prosperous as it once was, their husbands would perhaps obtain work enough, to enable them to live as comfortably as they have ever lived. But, during the last four months, they could not sometimes obtain a day's work in a fortnight. Is it asked, how then do they pay their rent, and retain for themselves a home? I answer, they do not pay it, and are still in debt for it; and both they and their landlords are looking to better times,' for the liquidation of this debt. There are none who feel any strong interest in these families, or who are disposed to assist them beyond the demands of the passing day. As they cannot therefore borrow, they must of necessity either beg, or steal. The children, therefore, and their mothers, pass from house to house to seek for food, while the husbands and fathers either remain at home, or are standing idle in the streets, or upon the wharves; except, perchance, when they can. earn twelve and a half, or twentyfive cents, by the strange